Franz Liszt
The 200th anniversary of the birth of Franz Liszt is on October 22, 2011, and the market is just flooded with CD’s to mark that occasion. As such, a CD by Lang Lang is of obvious interest.
Here are the selections on this recording:
Liszt:
- Romance ‘O pourquoi donc’, S169
- Grande Étude de Paganini, S. 141 No. 3 ‘La Campanella’
- Consolation, S. 172 No. 3 in D flat major
- Grand galop chromatique, S219
- Liebestraum, S541 No. 3 in A flat major
- Hungarian Rhapsody, S244 No. 6 in D flat major
- Un Sospiro from 3 Concert Studies, S144 No. 3
- Hungarian Rhapsody, S244 No. 15 in A minor ‘Rákóczy Marsch’
- Ave Maria, S558 No. 12 (after Schubert)
- Isolde’s Liebestod (after Wagner), S447
- Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S124
With the Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Valery Gergiev
Performed by Lang Lang, piano
On this album, together with the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Valery Gergiev, Lang Lang plays Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1, as well as a selection of some of the most famous, virtuosic and beautiful solo pieces by Franz Liszt such as La Campanella, Liebestraum and Hungarian Rhapsody Nr 6, Consolation, and more.
Here are some press comments:
“His talents are most generously indulged, however, in the Paganini study “La Campanella”, a showcase of effusive flurries, sudden shifts of mood and rippling trills sweeping the entire length of the keyboard, all delivered with a restrained but dashing brio.”
………………………..The Independent, 8th September 2011
“Lang Lang’s gifts get a fruitful showcase in Liszt’s Piano Concerto No 1, performed with the Vienna Philharmonic and Valery Gergiev. None of the parties proves too bombastic…In the slow pieces we can take some comfort in our star pianist’s delicacy, however, when Liszt is being the showman, Lang Lang’s extreme virtuosity keeps removing the music’s soul”
………………………………The Times, 3rd September 2011
Here is Lang Lang, playing Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody #2, arrangement by Vladimir Horowitz
Watch now how he helps a youngster who is working on the Liszt Rhapsody at a piano Masterclass
Finally, here’s Lang Lang in an encore at the Berlin Philharmonic on Jan 31st 2009
Tags: Lang Lang, pianist, Liszt, Chopin